Seattle City Light is launching its Second Annual Cookin’ with Kilowatts contest, which aims to raise residential customer awareness of energy consumption and its environmental impact. 
Seattle City Light is launching its Second Annual Cookin’ with Kilowatts contest, which aims to raise residential customer awareness of energy consumption and its environmental impact.
Kids and adults are invited to send in their recipe submissions to SCL_Recipes@seattle.gov. Every contestant who submits a recipe using a more energy-efficient method of cooking will receive a thank you gift, including a pot holder and chef’s hat. Contest submissions are accepted from July 1 – October 3, 2014.
City Light is asking customers to submit their most creative, tastiest recipes using an alternative cooking method that uses less electricity than a stovetop or oven. As you see in the chart below, a microwave uses less energy than the oven.
| APPLIANCE | TEMPERATURE | TIME | ENERGY | COST* |
| Electric oven | 350 F | 1 hour | 2.0 kWh | 19 ¢ |
| Toaster oven | 425 F | 50 minutes | .95 kWh | 9 ¢ |
| Crockpot | 200 F | 7 hours | .7 kWh | 7 ¢ |
| Microwave oven | High setting | 15 minutes | .36 kWh | 3 ¢ |
Table from Consumer Guide to how Energy Savings
*Assumes 9.5 cents/KWh
Our Cookin’ with Kilowatts contest challenges adults and children in our community to think about how they can reduce their personal energy use, and thereby contribute to a healthier environment. More information can be found on the Cookin’ with Kilowatts website.
There are two categories for this year’s Cookin’ with Kilowatts contest: an Adults Contest open to adults as well as students in grade 9 and above, and a Kids Contest open to children in grades K-8. Each will have a first, second and third place winner with prizes, including $100, $150 and $250 gift cards for adults, and $75, $100 and $150 Disney gift cards for children.
The winners will be chosen from a panel of judges at a celebratory event to be held in October 2014. Each submission will be judged based on creativity, energy saved and presentation.
There is no entry fee, and all Seattle City Light customers are encouraged to apply. Bonus points are awarded to those who send photos of themselves with their dish and chef hat to SCL_Recipes@Seattle.gov.
For more information about the Cookin’ with Kilowatts contest, including contest rules and how to apply, please visit www.seattle.gov/light/recipe. The 2013 contest cookbook can also be downloaded from the Cookin’ with Kilowatts website.
Seattle City Light is the 10th largest public electric utility in the United States. It has some of the lowest cost customer rates of any urban utility, providing reliable, renewable and environmentally responsible power to about 750,000 Seattle area residents. City Light has been greenhouse gas neutral since 2005, the first electric utility in the nation to achieve that distinction.